Silver Lining
by Monker
Summary: Ryan is upset when he doesn't get the lead in the winter musical. But it ends up leading him to meeting a very new and exciting person. Set after the first movie. Ryan and Origional Character pairing. Fully summery inside.


**Title**: Silver Lining

**Author**: Monker

**Rated**: PG

**Genre**: Romance

**Summery**: Ryan is upset when Troy beats him out for the musical's leading male role for the second year in a row. But soon, he learns that sometimes, when things seem bad, they can actually be good (very VERY good) when he meets Maggie and discovers that… every cloud really DOES have a silver lining. RyanxOC

**Disclaimer**: I don't own High School Musical in any way. I do, however, own the character Maggie Farstone, the song "Silver Lining", as well as the story itself.

**Author's Note**: I wanted to take a stab at writing a HSM story so this is what I came up with. I hope you guys like it and I would appreciate some reviews (they might encourage me to write more).

**Something you might want to know**: A Scally cap is the kind of hat that Ryan wore in the first movie when he fist saw Troy looking at the sign-up sheet. So when I mention it in the story, you can know what it looks like.

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Ryan's face dropped. He stood staring at the final casting sheet for the high school's winter musical. He didn't get the lead. How could he NOT get the lead? Him and his sister got the lead EVERY year, with the exception of last year's "new girl and jock" surprise. After a while, Ryan had cooled off and accepted the fact that Troy was better for the role of Arnold anyway. But he figured that it would only be for one time, so he would accept it. _'I'll just wait 'til next year to get my rightful role'_ Ryan had thought. Well next year had come...and next to "his role" was the name Troy Bolton. What made it worse was the fact that his sister got the lead girl role, but Ryan was forced to sit in the shadows and let Troy get all his spotlight...again.

Ryan sighed; his ego was getting the better of him. Troy was a good guy, Ryan should be happy for him. And of course he was happy for Sharpay...she always deserved the lead, and she was good at it.

As though on cue, his sister poked her head over his shoulder to look at the sheet.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" She squeaked with delight. "You know, this might sound silly...but after last year, I was actually concerned about the castings this year! I actually thought to myself 'what if you don't get it?' But now I know that that's totally ridiculous because no one would be better for this role. Am I right? Don't get me wrong, Gabriella held her own last year...but come on...this is me we're talking about here" Sharpay joked. Then she suddenly fell quiet when she noticed the expression on her brother's face. "Ry...you ok?"

He torn his gaze away from the casting sheet and looked at his sister. Flashing her a fake smile he said, "Yeah, yeah of course...I'm fine." Then he smirked sadly and placed the sheet back on the table and started to exit the room.

Sharpay looked at the sheet again and gasped when she noticed that her brother's name was not right below hers. She looked for his name and found it four lines below Troy's.

"Ryan! Ryan!" Sharpay yelled as she tried to catch up to her brother in the hallway. School was letting out so there were many kids who flooded the halls working their way to the parking lot. Sharpay swerved through the crowds and reached her brother just as he made it out the door and about to walk down the steps into the parking lot.

"Ryan...don't be disappointed. Archie is a great character! Remember? He's like the love sick puppy of the whole production. You'll get to show your softer side." Sharpay encouraged.

"I know who Archie is, Sharpay" Ryan said as he opened up the door to the car and took a seat. "I read the script, remember?"

She got in the car also and put the keys in the ignition.

"Besides, I'm not disappointed. I'm just..."

His sister turned at him and glared unconvinced.

"...bummed. Pretty bummed. I only get two songs, only ONE dance...and I'm barely even IN the second and third acts!"

Sharpay passed him a sympathetic smile. She loved her brother and she hated seeing him this disappointed.

"But let's stop talking about it. Can we swing by sonic or something? I'm hungry."

"Sure" was all she said.

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"Alright people, that was good. Bolton, would you come here for a moment?" Mrs. Darbus said towards the stage in her usual operatic voice.

Troy jumped down from the stage and walked over to the drama teacher. "Yeah, did I screw up?" Troy asked.

"Not yet Mr. Bolton. But I do want you to hit that last not a little softer. I know that you want to, as you say, 'belt it out'...but you really mustn't. It must be a soft, melodious ring."

Troy nodded his head and turned to walk back toward the stage, "Got it."

"I want a drip, not a splash Mr. Bolton!" Darbus yelled after him as he climbed back onto the stage.

Troy screwed up his face and mouthed, "What the heck?"

Gabriella, who was sitting on the stage noticed his expression and started giggling. Troy whispered to her as he walked by, "How the heck am I supposed to sing a drip?"

"Alright people, lets move on to the 'Silver Lining' song between Archie and Doris."

Sharpay stood up, "We can't Mrs. Darbus. Ryan isn't here yet."

"Well where is the boy? We cannot wait all day. Doesn't he have priorities?" Mrs. Darbus said. "Oh never mind, we'll just have to come back to it. Right then, on to Doris's solo. Where's Maggie?"

"I'm here!" Maggie said raising her hand and walking to the center of the stage towards the microphone.

"Good, INTRO!" Darbus ordered and soon the music began playing.

"Where's Ryan?" Gabriella whispered to Sharpay.

"I don't know, he said he would be here. He's NEVER late for a rehearsal!" Sharpay said, getting worried.

"Yeah," said Troy, "That's weird."

Sharpay thought for a split second and then said, "I'm gonna call him."

Immediately Troy and Gabriella both stood directly in front of Sharpay, forming a human wall to block the cell phone from Mrs. Darbus's view. Sharpay held the speed dial two button and listened as it rang.

"Hello?" Ryan said on the other end.

"Where ARE you? We've gone through three songs already."

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time. I forgot ok?"

"You FORGOT?!" Sharpay whispered harshly into the phone.

Troy and Gabriella both passed shocked glances over their shoulder towards the secret conversation. Ryan forgetting about a rehearsal? It was weird. Ryan being late to a rehearsal was like Chad not being able to finish his cheese fries...it just didn't happen.

"I'm sorry, ok? I just parked the car; I'm coming in as soon as I can!" Ryan said.

"Hurry up, dude. I think Darbus is about to eat someone" Troy said over his shoulder.

Two minutes later, the door opened to reveal and slightly panting Ryan. He closed the door quietly behind him and was about to walk towards the stage when he stopped. He was blown away by the voice that was flowing from the speakers. Who was that girl? She was singing the solo from act two and by the sound of it; she was just hitting the bridge. She had a spectacular voice. And she was pretty cute too. Her long, strait blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She wore a light green, long-sleeved t-shirt, vintage jeans, and a colorful sash-like belt that hung loosely at her waist.

Ryan didn't even realize when Troy approached him. "Where were you man? Sharpay was freaking out."

"Who is she, Troy?"

"Sharpay? You serious? She's your sister, dude. You guys grew up together, any of this ring a bell?"

"No, I didn't mean that. Who's that up there?" Ryan nodded towards the stage.

Troy turned around and saw Maggie singing her heart out. "It's Maggie Farstone. She's on the swim team. I know her, she's pretty cool. She's also your Doris." Troy noticed the look on Ryan's face. "You uh...You like her? I happen to know she's single." Troy didn't miss how Ryan's eyes lit up upon hearing that.

Ryan realized he was probably staring. He blinked hard trying to get rid of this trance he seemed to be in. He looked at Troy who was smiling at him. "What? No...No, she has just got a nice voice is all. I don't want to date her." Ryan said, trying to laugh it off. "I just, wanted to know her name."

The song came to an end and Ryan sheepishly stepped onto the stage.

"Oh, good to see you've finally joined us Mr. Evans" Mrs. Darbus said loudly, then lowering her tone she added, "You aren't planning on making a habit out of tardiness, are you young man?"

"No, Mrs. Darbus...it won't happen again." Ryan said quietly.

"Good," she nodded, "Are you familiar with the duet from the third act?"

"Sharpay has rehearsed it will me at home."

"Good, well your REAL partner is standing behind you. Let's run through it quickly. From the top!"

Ryan turned around and barely made eye contact with Maggie before they both walked over to the piano and grabbed their music.

Ryan couldn't take his eyes off his duet partner as he sang, "Every cloud has a silver lining, whether the skies be gray or blue. And today I found my silver lining, the moment my eyes found you. For your beauty flies higher than the mountains, and your voice angelic and divine. What have I done to earn this blessing, of having your hand...in mine?"

Maggie looked at him and Ryan quickly averted his eyes, but he still caught a glimpse of the soft smile that graced her lips before she sang, "I used to say 'those who fell in love were foolish, letting they're hearts betray their own minds'. But now I guess you could call me a fool too then, cause these feelings I can't deny. They say the only dream worth dreamin', is the dream that's likely too come true. So I guess, you and I are just two dreamers, sharing this love as dreamers and fools."

Then they both sang together, her singing melody, and him singing harmony, "Cause I can't help but loving you. And I could try but sooner die then stop my loving you."

When they were through there was complete silence. No one said a word until Mrs. Darbus called, "Good, not many more practices on that one are needed. But even still run through it a couple more times over the week. Next we move on to..."

But Ryan wasn't listening. He extended his hand, "I'm Ryan."

She smiled and took his hand, "Maggie" then nodding towards his bleach white scally cap she said, "nice scally."

Ryan grinned.

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"Hey, hold on." Ryan said after rehearsals were through.

Maggie turned around and smiled.

"Sorry if this sounds stupid but, are you new here?" Ryan asked as he walked along side her.

She laughed, "Not exactly. I've been going to East High for seven years."

Ryan blushed, "How come I've never seen you before?"

"Do you ever come to swim meets?"

Ryan shook his head.

"Well, that could have something to do with it. I sit with Hannah MacGumrey, Lindsey Sikes, Jordon Holderness, Ricky and Michael Sholts at lunch."

Ryan nodded with understanding "Oh, the jock table."

"We prefer 'athletes'"

Ryan smirked, "sorry."

"It's cool."

Then things went silent. _'Come on Ry, say something! You're being less talkative than a cheeto! Say SOMETHING!'_ Ryan urged in his head. "So umm...Do want to come over or something so we can rehears?"

"Uhh...sure! Tomorrow ok?"

"Year, that's great. See you then?" Ryan started walking away to join his sister in the parking lot.

"Ryan!"

He turned around quickly. "Yes?"

She laughed and so did he (though he didn't know why), "I don't know where you live" she said.

"Oh, right." Ryan pulled out a small notebook and wrote down some simple instructions to his house. Then he added seven small numbers at the bottom and pointed to them, "And here's my number in case you can't find the house or something."

"Oh great" Maggie said, taking the piece of paper and ripping it from the book. The she folded it neatly and placed it in her pocket. She took the notebook and pen from Ryan and wrote down her own number then handed it back to him. "That's my cell," she said.

Ryan was excited as she gave it to him but didn't let his face show it. "Thanks..." then he looked at her and cocked an eyebrow good-naturedly.

"In case you need to reschedule or something" she said quickly.

"Oh" Ryan nodded, folding the paper equally as neatly and tucking it away in his hat.

Maggie laughed, "I look forward to it, Ryan Evans." She smiled and then turned and exited the school.

Ryan smiled to himself, "All right, ok...that was good."

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Ryan sat at his desk in his bedroom with the soundtrack to Moulin Rouge playing from the stereo. He quietly sang along as he glanced back and forth between the computer screen and the text book on his lap. Suddenly, he felt that he was no longer alone. He turned to see his sister leaning up against his doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest.

"So this is what I'm thinking…" she said, stepping into his room and taking a seat on his bed.

"Come on in!" Ryan said with a smile.

"Thanks!" she grinned back. "Anyway, I'm thinking that I want to go to the movies tomorrow. What would you think about grabbing a few friends and going out to eat and then catching a movie after school?" She asked as she flipping Ryan's cell open and snapped a picture of herself. She looked at the picture and scrunched up her nose; she then deleted it and tried again. Satisfied with her adorable self, she closed the cell phone and waited for her brother's answer. He wasn't looking at her, he had his back turned to her and was facing his computer.

"Ryan…Ryan!"

He spun around quickly and looked startled as he stared at his sister.

"Did you hear a word I just said?" Sharpay asked as she got up and walked over to the desk, she bent down to read what he was so interested in. It was just homework…something about Nathaniel Hawthorne.

"The movie, right! Uhh…no I can't make it." Ryan said.

"Why not?" Sharpay straitened again and looked puzzled at her brother.

"Maggie is coming over tomorrow…so we can rehearse" he said, hoping she would leave it at that.

His sister thought about it, and then finally said. "Okay, whatever. You're missing out though." She headed towards the door. Right before she left the room she said over her shoulder, "Don't delete that picture."

Ryan smirked and turned back to finish his paper.

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Ok so…I meant for this to only be a oneshot but I seem to be dragging it out for longer. Tell me what you think though…I'm really branching out here.

--Monker


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